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Ore mo omae mo / Both You and I / more colloquially correct You and Me, Pal (Mikio NARUSE, 1946).

A post-war "salaryman film", this focuses on two older white-collar workers (played by Entatsu YOKOYAMA and Achako HANABUSHI) in a business office headed by a rather peremptory boss (played by Ichiro SUGAI -- later the father of Noriko in Ozu's "Early Summer"). Because these two are older (and have families to support), the boss thinks he can take advantage of them. accordingly, when he needs yard-work done, he sends them home to serve at the dictates of his wife. Because the two have shown at an office party that they can do an amusing kabuki imitation (as hero and "heroine" of some drama or other), the boss decides the two should appear (in faux-kabuki dress) at a music party he is giving at his home. As it turns out, however, the eldest daughter of one of the two and her (apparently more well-off) fiancé are also at the party  and the daughter begs him not to embarrass her by appearing in kabuki drag. The father realizes the possible consequences of thwarting the boss's expectations, but to please his daughter he sneaks out to go home. His partner offers to perform solo, but the boss angrily sends him off as well. At work the next day, the whole office knows the two are in deep disgrace  and all the younger workers are gossiping over their likely fate. One of the men, then the other go into the boss's office to confront him  but discover he isn't in at the moment. They practice defending themselves  and while they are doing so the boss walks in. Accordingly, they proceed to defend their dignity for real. As they do so, all their co-workers applaud and shout encouragement (as all are hovering right outside the door, trying to eavesdrop). The two then march off proudly for home. Through thick and thin, the two friends are still a team.

This is a very enjoyable film  looking back to Ozu's "I Was Born But" and Naruse's own "Flunky Work Hard" and (in a different setting) "Traveling Actors", but also reflecting the pro-democracy values demanded by Occupation film censors. The ending also looks ahead to the solidarity of the two redoubtable old retired geishas at the end of "Late Chrysanthemum".

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